(C) Copyright 2008 by Washington Hebrew Congregation. All rights reserved.

Washington Hebrew Congregation

Churchill’s Promised Land: Zionism and Statecraft by Michael Makovsky.   (Hurston Library 951.09 Mak)  

While there were inconsistencies in the total picture, Makovsky describes Churchill’s work toward promoting a Zionist state in Palestine, even when facing opposition from his own government and from his own Conservative Party.

 In 1921, Churchill’s journey through Palestine had a lasting impression on him. He particularly admired Rishon Lezion (First to Zion) which was the first Zionist agricultural settlement and received support from Baron Edmond de Rothschild. He was overcome with admiration for what the Jews had done to farm and irrigate the land while admiration did not extend to Palestinian Arabs.

Makovsky, who spoke about the book at our own Amram Scholar Series, goes into details describing Churchill’s lasting impact on the Jewish state. Churchill issued a statement in what has come to be known as the Churchill White Paper. He stated the Jewish people’s presence in the holy land goes back to an historic connection. In his position as Colonial Secretary, he seriously believed in the Balfour Declaration, sought to achieve stability in the region, established the sherifian clan (which caused unforeseen problems), established Palestine’s eastern border, and established a government in Transjordan.

Jerusalem: City of Longing by Simon Goldhill   (Hurston Library 958.1 Gol)  

The book is a must read if you are going to visit Jerusalem, but it will be equally interesting for the arm-chair traveler. Goldhill has divided the book into seven chapters (one for each day of the week) and also seven maps.  The book has a chatty tone and presents a fascinating picture of the people, history and sights in Jerusalem.

In writing about the Temple, you will learn, “it is fascinating that Jews always speak of the First and Second Temples, despite the fact that there are three quite separate building projects and three separate Temples…”

Three of the chapters are entitled the “The Oldest City,” the “Victorian City,” and “The Modern City.” Each is fascinating and in the chapter, “The Oldest City, Goldhill discusses the controversy involving excavations to determine the role and location of David’s city. “Yet until very recently there was no indication of any large-scale building in the City of David, and precious few signs of any building clearly placed in the time of David or Solomon.”

A Pigeon and a Boy by Meir Shalev   (Hurston Library F Sha)

In this work of fiction, Shalev’s writing gives you a picture of modern Israel. He has descriptions of the homes, villages and the land. The narrative in the book is actually two stories. One is a story about Baby, who was a pigeon handler and sends out messenger pigeons and the other story is about Yair Mendelsohn, who leads birding expeditions and is involved in a triangle of relationships. The book is all of these things in one-a love story, a modern story and a timeless story.